An elections spoiler from Bob Nonini

Bob Nonini might not have set out to make an election announcement Tuesday morning — but he did anyway.

Sen. Bob Nonini, R-Coeur d’Alene, has served eight years in the House and four years in the Senate.

Nonini, R-Coeur d’Alene, was debating in favor of one of his pet bills, Senate Bill 1279, which would create an endowment fund for STEM programs.

The STEM initiatives of science, technology, engineering and math have become a cause for Nonini. Last session, he and Rep. Reed DeMordaunt pushed a bill to create a STEM Action Center, a one-stop clearinghouse to provide teacher training and support for STEM teachers.

As he debated for the SB 1279’s STEM Education Fund, Nonini offered an apology of sorts, acknowledging that colleagues are probably getting tired of hearing him preaching the virtues of STEM. But Nonini told senators he won’t stop — and he said he plans to run again and stay on the issue.

Nonini has served eight years in the House and four years in the Senate. The former House Education Committee chairman now sits on the Senate Education Committee.

The elections field will shake out starting Monday. Candidates must file for the 2016 ballot between Feb. 29 and March 11.

As education and tax debates loom for the 2017 legislative session, much of the drama will unfold in Rep. Julie VanOrden’s House Education Committee and Sen. Dan Johnson’s Senate Local Government and Taxation Committee.